I suppose it depends on what you want to spend; dealers like Peter Loy and Aperture tend to deal only with equipment in good condition and consequently is slightly more expensive than other dealers or Ebay. However, this extra cost is often offset as you don't have to pay out for a CLA.

Another Idea is to go to Photographica where you will be able to play with a number of Barnacks. Here's a link to a thread about it. I know that Peter Loy intends to be there because I asked him.

Looking at the Peter Loy and Aperture websites I'm surprised at the very high prices they are selling Leica's for. It's rather like the £300+ Speed & Crown Graphics.

There have been some very nice screw thread Leica and also early Canon bodies sold here on APUG for a fraction of those prices. David H Bebbington would be able to point you to far better sources in the UK.

I'm thinking of making the plunge and switching my FSU bodies for a Leica screwmount.

Where would be a good place to look secondhand? Ebay, obviously.

Any other good venues?

thanks

Matt

There's a good selection here:http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/produ...roducts_id=306
Prices at normal dealer levels.
As a rough guide, assume any cosmetically good Leica on e-bay will not be worn out or have broken parts but WILL need a CLA. Forget Reid, these were British-made replicas of Leicas, they are expensive by virtue of rarity and historical curiosity, shutters are fragile, TTH lenses are blisteringly sharp in the center, hopeless at the edges (they were an unmodified cine lens design).

Having purchased many Leica screwmount bodies over the past ten years from different vendors in the UK, I would contact Malcolm Taylor on 01568 770542. Prices are a bit higher, but you do get a Leica that has no faults and has usually been serviced by Malcolm.

Of all the Leica bodies I've purchased, only two have not had to be sent to Malcolm for repair / servicing or to put into correct working condition. I've had to return Leicas to other vendors for repair (under their guarantee) and in all cases they have not been able to repair the camera, and have either offered a refund or suggested Malcolm Taylor!!

Sorry if this sounds a bit negative, but this is my experience and I post it in the sincere hope that it saves you wasted time and money.

Having purchased many Leica screwmount bodies over the past ten years from different vendors in the UK, I would contact Malcolm Taylor on 01568 770542. Prices are a bit higher, but you do get a Leica that has no faults and has usually been serviced by Malcolm.

Of all the Leica bodies I've purchased, only two have not had to be sent to Malcolm for repair / servicing or to put into correct working condition. I've had to return Leicas to other vendors for repair (under their guarantee) and in all cases they have not been able to repair the camera, and have either offered a refund or suggested Malcolm Taylor!!

Sorry if this sounds a bit negative, but this is my experience and I post it in the sincere hope that it saves you wasted time and money.

The trouble with Leica's is that there seems to be a higher than average number of people trying to pull a fast one. I know of an M3 that was sold on Ebay as being serviced, but on inspection the service was nothing more than the application of a bit of oil. So, in this case the purchaser ended up paying too much for the camera (in the belief it had been fully serviced) and then paying Malcolm Taylor for a proper service.

That's why I recommended Peter Loy. I bought an M3 from him which he had got serviced by Newton Ellis (another good repairer). So, although I paid slightly over the top for this camera I knew everything was working correctly. So, if you buy one off Ebay, or a slightly less reputable dealer it's a good idea to have enough money left for a CLA as there's a good chance that it's going to need one.

If your going to pay high prices then I would buy from a Leica appointed dealer, which is what I did for my own Leica M equipment. When I accidentally damaged the viewfinder glass Leica UK included a service in the repair cost, but then indicated the camera had actually been serviced a year or two before and was in excellent mechanical condition so reduced the costs. That's an honest company for you.

In posts here on APUG David Bebbington has discussed buying screw thread Leica's and even allowing for the cost of a full service saving very significant amounts compared to many dealers shelf prices.